Remote control system



' June 18,1940.

s. cfs. CLENCH Y 2,205,346

mum's cannon SYSTEII Fi led larch 3. 1938 5 ShQQtS -Sh ee t 2 llLl E. c.. s. CLENCH REIOTE CONTROL SYSTEM Filed March 3, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 wmvfm Edward (1.5. cleJLC/z/ J Patented June 18,1940

Edward Claude Shakespeare Clench, Leamington Spa, England, assignor to Automotive Products Company limited, London, England Application March s, 1938, Serial No. 193,191

. In Great BritainMarch 11, 1931 11 Claims. (01. 60-52) The invention relates to remote control systems for the control of rotating members, engines and other driving devices.

It is known that in multi-engined aircraft,

particularly in those equipped with high power engines, there occurs a so-called beat eflec when the engines are running nearly but not quite at equal speeds. The production of beats is not only uncomfortable to the passengers and crew of the aircraft, but is dangerous as it gives rise to vibrations of considerable amplitude, and also enables the aircraft to be detected more easily by the sound emitted, which presents a great drawback for militaryQaircraft. 0n the other hand, for the adjustmentof the engines of a multi-engined aircraft, in which the engines are carried upon the wings, it is important that the accuracy of adjustment should not be af: fected by relative movement between the engines themselves and-the fuselage carrying the cabin. from which the engines are controlled. This relative movement may sometimes reach a substantial extent and prevent accurate operation of mechanical controlling means, which .may rea suit in fluctuation of the speed of the engines and the production of .a beat effect from time to time.

One object of the invention is to fluid pressure remote control system for adjusting engines or like devices to bring their speeds in perfect synchronism.

Another object of the'invention is to eliminate the beat effect in a multi-engined aircraft and suppress the vibrations due to absence of perfect synchronism between the speeds of the various engines or propellers. I

Another object of the invention is to-provide,

in combination with-a multi-engined aircraft equipped with variable pitch propellers, .a fluid pressure remote control system for adjusting the means which controls' the propeller blade incidence;

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with a multi-engined aircraft equipped with constant speed governor controlled variable pitch propellers, a fluid pressure control system including a fluid pressure producing means, fluid pressure responsive motors connected to the latter and adapted to adjust the speed responsive governors which control the blade incidence of each propellenand a controlling device which in one position connects all the motors to the fluid pressure producing means for operating the motors in unison, and in 55 another position connects one of the motors to the fluid pressure producing means for operating said motor'independently. a

Another object of the present invention isto provide a fluid pressure remote control system including a fluid pressure producing means, fluid 6 pressure operated motors connected to thelat "ter, a controlling device which in one position connects all the motors to the fluid pressure producing means for operating the motors in unison, and in another position connects one of 10 the motors to the fluid pressure producing means'for"operating said motor independently.

Yet another object of the invention-isto provide a fluid pressure remote control system including a fluid pressure producing means, fluid pressure operated motors, pumps incorporated in the fluid pressure producing 'means and each adapted to feed a respective fluid pressure operated motor, a controlling device which in one position connects the pumps to the motors as- 20 sociated therewith, and in another position conn'ects one pump to the respective motor and renders another pump inoperative.

A further object of the invention isQtQ provide a fluid pressure remote control system includingii a fluid pressure producing means, fluid pressure operated motors connected to the latter, aconprovide" aitrollinggdey ice which in one position connects all the motors totliefluid'pressure producing means, and in another position connectsthe fluid pres- 30 sure producing means to one of the motors forj operating it independently, anda remote indicating device showing the setting of the motors. Other objects and features of the invention and other novel combinations of parts and desir- 35 'able particular constructions will be apparent from the following descriptionand from the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a fluid pressure control system in accordance with my 40 invention;

' Figure 2 is, a longitudinal sectional elevation through the fluid pressure producing means;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevationon the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4' is a fragmentary section to'an enlarged scale showing' the action of the delivery valve;

Figure 5 is atransverse section-on 55 of Figure 2; v

Figure Sis a sectional plan of the fluid pressure producingv means taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

the line 5 Figure is an enlarged fragmentary view of a 5g lento thein'dic ator c.

B, so operating "clutchdevice the fluid f producing means;

l 'lgureflisasectionalelevationoioneofthe' fluid pressure responsive motors for adjusting 5 the controlling member of a variable pitch aircraft propeller;

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary Mew showing the means used for locking the 1 m of.

the fluid pressure responsive motors and 10 Figures 10, 11 and 12 are diagrammatic views illustrating the action of the electrical indicating system.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a fluid pressureremote control system intended to 5 be used on a two-engined aircraft equipped with automatic variable pitch propellers, and it comprises a manually operated fluid pressure producing means A which is placed so that the pilot can conveniently rotate a hand wheel II and g0 actuate a lever ii of a control device. Such a fluidpressure producing means may 'be of the type covered by my United States patent application Serial No. 124,153,. flied on February 4th, 1937 and issued as Patent No. 2,156,629. Ro-

tation of the wheel I. with the lever ii in its central position causes liquid to be forced through one of'a pair of conduits II and is to a fluid pressure responsive motor Bi and also through'the corresponding conduit M or ilto another motor indicated at 3 of'the motorshas a'pistbn rod ii, i! which sets a variable pitch propeller mechanism within a vcasing II, II and simultaneously operates a Variable,

electrical resistance indicated at II and it respec tiv ely.;v These are connected with an indieating device C which can convenien ly vbe seen 'byv-thepilot and may consistfoi an chin-meter supplled'withicurrent from a battery D. An electric switch-2O at the rear of the fluid presm sure producing 'mflnsjd is actuated by-the lever adjustment as the rod I in the motor 3. If it is desired to eheckthe setting ofthemotor B thelever Ii can bemovedto its opposite extreme e in; are appropria i adapted to actuate delivery valve memrod 33 here u and 344 which will hereinafter -be described.

The shaft also carries apair of cams-ll tween the shaft and the cams ll, "a.

The two cams 3' and Ila respectively actuate apairof pumps-Band I'which are arranged side by side and which are identical in constructh on the left hand side of Figure- B '2beingshowni:isectioninl"igure8' 2 and isbored to form a pair of coaxial cylinders I w hicha double-ended piston ele-' adapted-to reciprocate, said element edwi packlngcupllateach end. The centrev part of the piston element is flattened and isengaged between a pair of lugs ll carried by an oscillating cam follower-ltwhich may have the form of a substantially cirupper partvupon a spindle it, on which is'se- -is'also drilled at each side to form a pair of chambers. I] and II, which are fltted with flxed sleeves I! and," respectively. A delivery valve .member I4 isrmounted in..said'. sleeves and is vadapted toslide in the latter. The construction of the feed valve member 34 is shown more clearly in Figure 4, from which it will be seen that the sleeves l2 and II are grooved circumferentially to form annular es 4 which,

arein permanent communication with passages II and I leading to unions I! and." which are cumferential series-of ports is and llare drilled which cooperate with piston heads ti and it upon the extremities of the delivery valve memfpoeition, in which the motor 3' in turnbecomes her I, the axial length of each piston head and isolated. The indicator 0 is conveniently fltted with a pair of indicator lamps 2i and "for. the

areoperative.

The construction of. the fluid pressure producing meansAisshowninl'iflrresQto-I, An'

outer casing 23 which serves asa reservoir'for operating liquid is fltted with'a shaft I carrying the hand wheel ll. At its central part this I shaft issplined as indicated at ll, and carries 1 rigidly a flange 28 against which bears a triotion dishfl.

, mounted upon the shaft and carries a di-' ametral pin )0 which extends through slots in the shaft and is. forced to the left by a coiled Another-flange 28 is 'slidably compression spring a housed within said shaft.

, 15 arm ll, which'as illustrated'in the drawings,

.the distance-separating said heads being such.

purpose of showing whichofthemotors'is or.

ll when the pump isinoperative, i., e.',, when tering device, the details of which are shown a lateral projection 08, the extremity of is notched to engage a pairof short pins se iscaused to-assume this positionby a selfl'igure5. Itwillbeseenthatthearmfl isthickened at itsbottompart cut in a guide strip 58. The latter is pivotally supported at 69, and is fitted with abutment washers I8 and H on which a pair of coiled compression springs I2 and 13 respectively take support. The inner ends of these springs engage the pins 64 and 65 and thus tend to. return the arm 3| and the valve members 34 and 34a to their central positions. The force exerted by each of the springs 12 and 13 in opposing the movement of the arm 3| is, however, insufficient to resist the torque which the clutch device 26, 28 is capable of transmitting, and it will, therefore, be

' seen that when the hand-wheel I8 is rotated for instance in a. clockwise direction (that is anticlockwise when viewed from the back as in Fig-f ures 3 and the initial part of this movement is transferred to the arm 3|, rocks the latter and causes the spring 13 to be compressed until the pin 65 contacts with the lower end of the slot 61. This movement is transmitted to the delivery valve members 34 and 34a, both of which then occupy the position shown in Figure 4. During this initial movement the clearance between the teeth of the dog clutch devices 35 and 36a has been taken up so that continued angular movement of the shaft 24 is imparted to the two cams 35 and 35a, thus reciprocating the piston elements 39 and 39a of the individual pumps E and F on the left and right hand sides respectively of Figure 2, while the arm 3| is kept in place owing to a slipping between the latter and the friction disks 2'! and 32. As previously mentioned both'of these pumps work simultaneously and in an idnticalmanner so that the action of only that pump shown in section in Figure 3 will now be described. Rotation of the cam 35 causes the follower '42 to be oscillated,

thus forcing liquid from the cylinders 31 and 38 intotlie chambers 58 and 5| which are connected together by a passageway I4 bored longitudinally through the valve member 34. Therefore,

when the valve member 34 is displaced as shown 4 in Figure 4, the liquid under pressure from both cylinders 31 and 38passes through the ports 59 and 68 of the chamber 58 and thence reaches the passage 55 and union 51. The liquid rejected by the corresponding motor Bi reaches the passage 56, and thence passes through-the ports 59 and 68 of the chamber 5| into the 'reservoh' formed by the casing 23; When the desired amount of movement has been imparted and the operator lets go of the-hand wheel l8 the spring 13 centralises the arm 3| and returns the valve members 34 and 34a to their central positions, but the cams 35 and 35a are-not moved backwards to a corresponding amount owing to the clearance existing in the dog clutch teeth 36 and 38a. When the hand wheel I8 is rotated.

in the opposite directionthe valve member 34 a is moved to the left (when viewed from the back as in Figures 3 and .4), and this automatically" opens the passage 55 to the reservoir and causes the pressure liquid to be delivered through the passageway 55 for actuating the motor B in the opposite direction. C

The lever II is arranged so that when in its central position both of the pumps E and F are allowed to operate in unison, but when said lever is pushed over to either oi'its extreme positions one or other of the pumps is rendered inoperative.

pair of rocker levers l5 and 11' which are piv- -the right hand side of Figure 2,

For this purpose the spindle 43 carries a pair of control camsl5 and a, one for each pump. The control cam 15 cooperates with a 88 which are conveniently screw-threaded for adjustment purposes. The thrust members I9 and 88 cooperate with push rods 8| and 82 respectively which are normally supported by coiled compression springs 83 and 84, but when said rods 8| and 82 are depressed theirlower ends contact with the inlet valves 46and 41 and serve to hold them off their seats. This, of course, prevents the liquid pressure from being generated in the cylinders 31 and 38, and thus renders the pump inoperative. The pump shown in Figure 3 is required to be-thrownout of action in this manner when the lever II is moved to the position shown in broken lines at H, and

tions 85 and 86 of the periphery of the control cam 15 are brought beneath the inner ends of. the rocking levers l6 and I1, thus causing the outer ends of the latterto be depressed.

Notches 81 and 88 are formed in the control cam TI to permit the push rods 8| and 82 to rise free of the inlet valves when the lever II is in .its central position, and notches 89 and 98 come into action for a similar purpose-when the lever is in its right hand position when viewed from the back as in Figure 3. The notches which are formed in the control cam 15a are shown in Figure 5 with the corresponding references folin this position of the lever un-notched porlowed by the letter a, but it will be appreciated that the inlet valves of this pump have to be opened when the lever; II is moved to the right hand side as viewed from the back, and for this A passage 92- (Figure 3) leads from the cham ber 58 of the pump shown; and as'will be seen from Figurefi this passage leads to a ball valve 93 which is held on its seat by a spring 94 so as ,to act as a safety valve and prevent the working pressure from rising beyond a predetermined value. A similar safety valve (not shown) is also provided in conjunction with the pump at Coiistructional details of one of the fluid pressure responsivemotors are shown in Figures 8 and 9, the other motor being, of course, identical. Such fluid pressure responsive motors may be of the type covered by my U. S. application Serial No. 80,643, filed on May 19, 1936 and issued as Patent.No. 2,119,419. A part of the casing of a governor of a variable pitch aircraft propeller is shown at 95, and encloses a slider 95 which is' moved-by a bell crank lever 91 for thepurpose of adjusting the setting of the governor in the known manner. This bell crank lever isin turn actuated according to my invention by a piston rod 98 carrying a piston whichis indicated generally at 99, and which slides within a cylinder I88 secured to the casing 95.,The piston 99 is double-acting and the two working spaces within the cylinder I88 are connected with the conduits (for instance, l2 and I3, Figure 1) by means of unions IM and I82 respectively. The outer'end of the piston rod 98 carries a locknut |83which has an annular groove |84by means of which it is operatively connected with the adjusting member ota variable electrical resistance, which is indicated at N in'mures land 8.

since. in normal position, the fluid pressure producing means automatically places the conduits into communication with the reservoir, it is very desirable, if not essential, that automatic locking means should be provided for each. motor, and in the present example such locking means are incorporated in the piston II as will be seen more clearly from Figure 9. The piston comprises a pair of end members Ill and Ill and an intermediate memberv ll'l, these parts being clamped in position ,by the lock nut I acting through a distance tube Ill. The intermediate member I" is formed at each end wth a radial flange III and ill having frusto-conical outer surfaces which are engaged respectively by rows of balls Ill and H2. The balls are mounted in cage members 3 and III which are of L- shaped radial section, and which are normally urged apart by a coiled compression spring ill so as to cause the balls-to jam between the flanges m and- Ill and the inner surface of the cylinder ill. -Packing washers ill and HI prevent the leakage of operating liquid from one side of the piston to the other and also serve to release the appropriate row of balls automatically under the action of the pressure liquid. Thus, assuming the piston'is to be moved to the right as seen'in Figures 8 and 9, pressure-liquid passing through the union ill acts upon the packing ring HQ and causes it to displace the cage Ill and the balls Ill towards the right.

This, of.- course, enables the liquid pressure acting upon the member III to move the piston along the cylinder, since the balls Iii are released and the balls III are inefl'ective to prevent movement in this direction. When the operator leaves'go of the hand wheel I. the conduits l2 and II are placed in communication with the reservoir and the spring HI immediately forces the balls iii into locking engagement "with the cylinder wall.

thus accurately preserving the new setting of the piston rod 98. The usual bleed plugs for-releasing air when filling the system with fluid are indicatedatlll'.

The electrical indicating. means forms an important part of the system, and its action is shown diagrammatically in Figures 10 to 12 which should be considered in conjunction with Figure 1. When the lever is placed in its central position as shown in Figure 10, both of the pumpsEandFarecperativetoactuatethemo tors B and B respectively, and the switch 2| makes the connection shown so that both of the indicator lamps 2i and 22- are in operation, but

the indicator C is placed only-in connection with the resistance It corresponding to the motor 8 on the starboard side of the aircraft. vIn'this position the system is, thus suitable for the ail-.- iustment of the motors B and'B' in unison,-and it will be'appreciatedthat as thetwo pumps! and F have equal displacement the-pistons in the -m0tors Band B will move to substantially equal that the governors on th e propellers should.

l torsto be adjusted individually by extents. Itis extremely important, however,

of the samehand'wheei'il. "lhus, the levee-ii at same time'connecting the indicator C with resistance it'insteadof the ll. I ternatively, tbeqleversli may spouses means for putting all the right as shown inFigure 11 for the finely adjusting the motor a.

tion has been described in connection with variable pitch propellers for aircraft fitted with governors which themselves automatically lust the propeller blade incidence so as to keep the speed constant and the remote control system is used'to adjust the governorsthemselves; Where ignition compression engines are employed the system can be utilised for directly or indirectly controlling thefuel injection, and other methods may be devised. The invention can also be applied to marine vessels having a plurality of engines, which require to be adjusted simultaneously. as to avoid aflecting the course of the ship,

an then to be accurately matched.-

. The fluid pressure remote control system may,

' of course, .take' forms other than the specific ex,-

modifications are made from the embodiment herein illustrated and described but without departing from the spirit nfmyinvention.- n Having thus described thevvarious features of the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by'lietters Patent is:

1. A fluid pressure remote control system including a ,fluid pressure producing means, fluid pressureresponsive motors, pumps incorporated in the fluid pressure producing means and corresponding in number to the number of said motors, with each pump having individual connections leading to its corresponding motor,

means controlling the operation of the pumps,'and pumps in operative connection with their respective motors in one position of the controlling means, saidmeans being adapted to put a selected one of said motors in operative connection with its respective pump in another position of the controlling means.

q 2. A fluid pressure control system including a fluid pressure producing means, fluid pressure responsive j motors. pumps incorporated inthe pressureproducing means and each. c'on-' riectedto a respective motor, a reservoir, an inpurpose of As it appears from the foregoing, the in'venvalve in each pump controlling the admission of fluid from-the reservoir, and means controlling the inlet 'valves of the respective" wherebyn of umps. may be midered operative to supply fluidto ltsres'pective independently of operation of the other 3}}. A, iluid pressure remote control system'in plura'lityof pumps, a.reservoir,fluid pressure responsive'motors actuated bythe pninpqeaehpumpbeing connected to arespective actuating for-operating the pumps m of 'fluidfrom the puinn's to-the respective motorsandwhichinnormal'position connectthe to the reservoir, connecting the displacing it in opposite directions according to the direction of movement of the actuating means for energizing said motorsin opposite directions,

and a slipping clutch incorporated in said connecting means.

4. A fluid pressure remote control system including a plurality of pumps, a reservoir, fluid pressure responsive motors actuated by the pumps, each pump being connected to a respective motor, means for operating the respective pumps, means actuating in common the pump "operating means, valve means controlling the discharge of fluid from .the pumps to the respective motors and which in normal position con nect the motors to the reservoir, means connecting to the pump operating means for displacing the valve means from normal to operative position, in which latter position each pump is effective to energize its respective motor, a slipping clutch incorporated in the connecting means, and a lost motion connection in the means operating the pumps corresponding to the displacement of the valve means from normal to operative position.

5. A fluid pressure remote control system according to claim 4including centralising means which urge to normal position the valve means controlling the discharge of fluid from the pump.

6. A fluid pressure remote control system according to claim 4 including centralising means 1 which urge to normal position the'valve means controlling the discharge of fluid from the pumps, and stop means limiting the displacement of the means connecting the valve means to the pump operating means.

7. A fluid pressure remote control system including a plurality of pumps, a reservoir, fluid pressure responsive motors actuated by the pumps,

each pump being connected to its respective motor, actuating means for operating the pumps in common, valve means controlling the discharge of fluid from the pumps to the respective motors 50 pletion oi the pump operating action after the valve means has been fully shifted from normal to operative position.

8. A fluid pressure remote control system including a plurality of pumps, fluid pressure responsive motors actuated by the pumps, each pump being connected to its resective motor, actuating means for operating the pumps in common, valve means controlling the discharge or fluid from the pumps to the respective motors and which in normal position connects the motors for free circulation of fluidtherebetween, means connecting to the pump actuating means for displacing the valve means from normal to operative position, in which latter position each pump is effective to energize its respective motor, and a slipping clutch incorporated in said connect.- ing means to insure completion of the pump operating action after the valve means has" been fully shifted from normal to operative position.

9. A fluid pressure remote control system including a fluid pressure producing means comprising a plurality of pumps, fluid pressure responsive motors, and selector means controlling the operation of the pumps, said selector means in one position rendering all the pumps effective to operate their respective motors, and in another position rendering all but one of said' pumps ineifective to permit operation of'one motor alone.

'10. A fluid pressure remote control system including a plurality of pumps, a reservoir, double acting fluid pressure responsive motors actuated by the, pumps, each pump being connected to a respective motor, means for operating the respective pumps, means actuating in common the pump operating means, valve means controlling the direction of the discharge of fluid from the pumps to the respective motors and which, in normal position, connect the motors to the reser voir, means connecting the valve means to the pump operating means for displacing the valve means, from normal to operative position, in which latter position each motor is connected at one end to its respective pump and at the other end to the reservoir, and a slipping clutch incorporated in said connecting means.

11. A fluid pressure remote control system including a plurality of pumps, a reservoir, double acting fluid pressure responsive motors actuated by the pumpsyeach pump being connected to a respective motor, means for operating the respective pumps, means actuating in common the pump operating means, valve means controlling the direction of the discharge of fluid from the pumps to the respective motors and which in normal positionconnect the motors tothe reservoir, means connecting to the pump operating means for displacing the valve means from normal to operative position, in which latterposition each motor is connected at one end to its respeetive pump and at the other end to the reservoir, a slipping clutch incorporated in the connecting means, and a lost motion connection in the means operating the pumps corresponding to the displacement of the valve means-from normal to operative position.

EDWARD cuppa SHAKESPEARE CLENCHL 

